Count of Martin County homeless helps determine need, finances

Martin County Health and Human Services manager Anita Cocoves (center) and Wendy Chevalier, Martin County administrative specialist for Health and Human Services in the Community Services Division, talk with a 38-year-old Hispanic male who is homeless and living in the woods in Stuart on Thursday.

TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS

Martin County Health and Human Services manager Anita Cocoves (center) and Wendy Chevalier, Martin County administrative specialist for Health and Human Services in the Community Services Division, talk with a 38-year-old Hispanic male who is homeless and living in the woods in Stuart on Thursday.

The two, as well as other staff members within Martin County Health and Human Services, are working with volunteers to measure the scale of homelessness in Martin County by counting and documenting every person and recording the number of homeless people in the woods and in shelters.

The annual data collected from the county assists in assessing need and financial resources for our area, according to Cocoves.